Comparison

Lightopus (Appxplore) vs Stick Ranger

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lightopus (Appxplore)

Embark on an epic quest to rescue young creatures from the clutches of Abyss monsters. Navigate challenging levels with intuitive controls, stunning graphics, and engaging gameplay. Face formidable bosses and strive for high scores.

Highlights
  • Full HD devices support
  • Intuitive touch or virtual joypad controls
  • Fun and addictive gameplay
  • Attractive graphics and character movements
  • Face various monster bosses
  • Checkpoint system
  • Leaderboards & Achievements
Features
Read full description

All the Lightopuses in the Abyss were killed and their remaining young captured by the monsters of the Abyss. You are the only Lightopus alive, a species on the brink of extinction. Your mission is to rescue the young Lightopus and free them from the Abyss monsters' seal-zones. - Features - • Full HD devices support • Unique and intuitive control: Optional touch control or virtual joypad • Fun and addictive gameplay • Attractive graphics • Lively character movements with AI • Face various monster bosses with special powers • Checkpoint System • Leaderboards & Achievements Support • Original and attractive music - Reviews - G4's Knuckle Up- The Best Mobile Games “I’m going to go out on a limb and predict Lightopus will be a future Hall of Famer for the App Store.” 148Apps - Editor's Choice “This game is not to be missed by those looking for something new to enchant them on the iOS platform.” Touch Arcade - Beauty Through Motion “Every feature adds to a superb overall presentation that just works.” Pocket Gamer - Silver Award “This is innovative gaming at its finest, and whilst it's let down by a few niggles, they're not enough to spoil what is a fantastically enjoyable, highly playable arcade adventure.” AppTudes - Editor's Choice “Lightopus is a beautifully crafted game. The game looks great on retina display, and the gameplay is both unusual and addictive. If players are looking for a challenging yet simple game, Lightopus is worth checking out.” AppSpy - A Unique Experience “Lightopus is visually intriguing and aurally relaxing, as you swim around protecting your babies, and having them feed on your enemies. A unique experience.” If you face any technical issues on your device, we would appreciate it if you can contact us prior to writing a negative review. We will try to address the issue as soon as possible. For the latest news, updates, and events LIKE us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/appxplore Official http://www.appxplore.com Facebook http://www.facebook.com/appxplore Twitter http://twitter.com/appxplore

About

Stick Ranger

Embark on an action RPG adventure with four stick figures. Explore diverse environments, battle enemies, and upgrade weapons. Level up your character by assigning experience points to attributes.

Highlights
  • Action RPG gameplay
  • Explore diverse environments
  • Battle enemies
  • Upgrade weapons
  • Character attribute customization
  • Level up system
Features
Read full description

This game is the 18th iPhone game for the Web Game Site "DAN-BALL". Adventure of 4 Stickmans! It's a simple action RPG. Battle enemies in a variate of environments across a huge map including, grasslands, caverns, deserts, and snowfields! Use items to upgrade your weapons at 8 different types of professions. Level up and assign your experience points to your attributes and create your own character!

Screenshots

Lightopus (Appxplore)4 screens
Stick Ranger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stick Ranger at none against Lightopus (Appxplore)'s 2. Stick Ranger also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 59%) and rating (4.6 vs 4.4). Lightopus (Appxplore)'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Lightopus (Appxplore) sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Stick Ranger asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stick Ranger holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stick Ranger has 296 ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Lightopus (Appxplore)'s written reviews are positive against 85% of Stick Ranger's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightopus (Appxplore) ships an update every 3 weeks, Stick Ranger every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Lightopus (Appxplore) versus Stick Ranger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightopus (Appxplore)Stick Ranger
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (40 ratings)4.6 (296 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.0% of reviews85.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings40296 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS6.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size137 MB10 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperAppxplore (iCandy) Sdn. Bhd.DAN-BALL

Customer experience

Lightopus (Appxplore)

All ratings37 ratings
Positive78.4%
Neutral8.1%
Negative13.5%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral10.3%
Negative30.8%

Stick Ranger

All ratings291 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral4.8%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews287 reviews
Positive85.4%
Neutral7.7%
Negative7.0%

Bugs and requests

Lightopus (Appxplore)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Stick Ranger

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Map and menu buttons not working
  • Certain weapons/abilities not functioning
  • Inconsistent enemy behavior
  • Progression-blocking issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add multiplayer mode
  • Improve character controls
  • Introduce new classes and updates
  • Provide an option to disable ads
  • Enhance in-game descriptions

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Lightopus (Appxplore)

One-time2
  • Stars Pack$0.99
  • Premium Upgrade$1.99
None

Stick Ranger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightopus (Appxplore) free?
Lightopus (Appxplore) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stick Ranger free?
Stick Ranger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lightopus (Appxplore) or Stick Ranger?
Stick Ranger is rated higher. Lightopus (Appxplore) averages 4.4 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Stick Ranger averages 4.6 from 296 ratings.
Do Lightopus (Appxplore) or Stick Ranger have ads?
Stick Ranger shows ads; Lightopus (Appxplore) does not.
Which is updated more often, Lightopus (Appxplore) or Stick Ranger?
Lightopus (Appxplore) ships an update every 3 weeks, and Stick Ranger every 5 months. Most recently, Lightopus (Appxplore) was updated on October 23, 2026 and Stick Ranger on October 29, 2026.

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